I received an email recently from a Captivate developer who was stymied by the functionality of a Text Entry Box. The application she was simulating required a user to type specific data into a text field. Afterward, the user is taken to the next field or screen in the application–without first having to press [tab], [enter] or even click a button.
In short, the developer wanted to know if there was a way in Captivate to require a correct entry in a field, and then have Captivate advance the simulation without additional user feedback.
At first this seems like a "have your cake and eat it too" request because Text Entry Boxes require some kind of user completion before an "On Success" action (Continue, Go to next slide, Jump to slide, etc) can be executed by Captivate. While final user interaction can either be a keyboard shortcut and/or a mouse click on a Text Entry Box button (available as an option), the developer was hoping to get past this limitation.
Alas, there simply isn't a way to bypass the last bit of user interaction. However, in the midst of trading emails from the developer in question, the developer let on that she had come up with a workaround for the problem. "Do tell," said I.
Read on…
In the following scenario, the user is expected to type the 1234567 into a field. After typing the 7, the user will end up on the next slide.
- Insert a Text Entry Box on a slide (via the Insert menu)
- Type 1234567 into the Correct entries field
- Change the On success to Continue
- Click Select keys from the Set shortcut key area
- Select 7 from the or number drop-down menu
Perhaps you now know where this is going? Do you recall that the correct entry in step 2 above ended with a 7? Hmmm…
- Click OK
- On the Options tab, match the settings below
- Click OK
- On the Timeline, extend the end time for the slide just a bit (after the user types the last number, the delay prior to ending the slide will give the user a chance to see the numbers they typed for one-half second or so before ending up on the next slide)
- Preview the next five slides. After typing 123456 and then 7, the slide will continue on to the next slide–without the need to click anything or press an additional keyboard shortcut. Why? Actually, you typed the shortcut without realizing it… the 7.
Note: The Captivate developer who shared the technique above is Jessica Kirby-Dixon, an Information Developer with Bullhorn.
Do you have a Captivate production problem that's making you pull your hair out? Email your problem and let others learn solutions from your experience.
I am looking for a developer to re created authorware courses into Captivate Flash.
CAn you help?
I am looking for a developer to re created authorware courses into Captivate Flash.
CAn you help?
I am looking for a developer to re created authorware courses into Captivate Flash.
CAn you help?